This invention relates generally to infant carriers whereby a pouch or the like is strapped to a user and, more particularly, to an infant carrier of the type described which is adaptable to an aqueous environment.
Carriers for infants are well known in the art and generally include a pouch arrangement for supporting the infant and a harness or strap arrangement secured to the pouch arrangement for supporting same on a user.
The applicant is aware of the following U.S. Patents in Class 224, Subclasses 160 and 161, which disclose infant carriers as described. U.S. Pat. No. 2,411,331 discloses an arrangement which protects the infant throughout the larger portion of its body while it is held and carried. U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,326 discloses an infant carrier in a particular formation including special pockets for infant accessories and a flexible wide strap that incorporates internal cushioning for both the infant's seat and the shoulder of the person carrying the infant. U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,919 discloses an infant carrier including reinforcing straps so connected to a pouch and to one another as to permit secure but adjustable suspension either from the front or back of the user. U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,562 discloses an infant carrier conveniently attached to a user and adjusted by virtue of its attachment to provide a secure support for the infant. U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,558 discloses an infant carrier specifically in which the infant is supported in a selected position at the front of the person carrying the infant. U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,514 discloses an infant carrier useable for carrying an infant in a variety of different positions.
None of the infant carriers described above or others in the prior art are adaptable to an aqueous environment. Indeed, their construction and material precludes use in such an environment.
Moreover, the prior art infant carriers invariably teach an integral harness and pouch arrangement. Thus, it has not been possible to remove or separate the pouch from the harness as may be desirable when one or the other wears out or must be otherwise replaced.
As far as the adaptability of an infant carrier to an aqueous environment is concerned, modern mothers find it convenient to use such a carrier for carrying an infant in a shower or a swimming pool, or for like purposes. The feature of separating or removing the pouch from the harness has been found advantageous for accommodating different size pouches for different size infants, or as the infant grows from one size pouch to a larger size pouch, as is inevitably the case.
Accordingly, the infant carrier herein disclosed is an improvement over the prior art infant carriers in that it provides a non-integral or separable pouch and harness arrangement so that either the pouch or the harness is interchangeable or replaceable as the case may be. Further, the arrangement of the present invention in its configuration and construction is such that it is most suitable for use in an aqueous environment and therefore solves a modern day need.